Ability of Stress Reduction to Reduce the the Incidence of Skin Cancer
Firdaus S. Dhabhar: of the Stanford Center on Stress & Health
and Department
of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford,
CA studied the tendency for mice exposed to ultra violet light to develop squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. He proved that chronically stressed mice
"had a shorter median time to
first tumor (15 vs 16.5 weeks) and reached 50% incidence of tumor earlier than controls
(15 weeks vs 21 weeks). Stressed mice also had lower IFN-c, CCL27/CTACK,
and CD3e gene expression, lower CD4+
and CD8+, and
fewer T cells infiltrating within and around tumors than non-stressed mice. Plus chronically stressed mice had higher numbers of tumor infiltrating and circulating CD4+
CD25+ suppressor cells than non-stressed mice." (1)
The Ability of Stress Reduction to Enhance the Body's Ability to Fight Skin Cancer
After resection for stage 1 or 2 melanoma a group of patients were given stress reduction and additional supportive therapy and there progress was compared with a matched group of post resection patients who received no help. The treatment group had reduced psychological distress and a significant
increases in the percentage of NK cells,
as well as an increase in NK cell cytotoxic activity, compared with
controls.
(NK cells kill cancer cells).
Follow up at six years showed "a trend toward greater recurrence, as well as
higher mortality rates among patients in the control group when compared with patients in
the intervention group The group
differences remained significant after adjusting for the size of the initial
tumor lesion, a key risk factor. (2)
These are two of many studies showing the power of stress reduction to produce positive results in prevention and treatment of skin cancer.
In accordance with these results, our treatment team has developed a cost-effective stress reduction treatment for skin cancer prevention and treatment. Our technique is based on the logical assumption that people who are at risk of developing skin cancer (famiily tendency, intermittent exposure to the Sun, history of sunburn, freckles, fair skin, Irish descent, multiple nevi, dysplastic nevi) will be concerned about their Sun exposure, checking their skin, concerned about using sunscreen, and in general somewhat anxious about the possibility of developing a form of skin cancer. Even if they aren't worried now, they will be if they find the signs of squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma on their skin. Much of their worry is likely to be focused on the Sun.
We counteract this fear using a treatment called "opposition conditioning." Using the fact that art objects are a source of pleasure and motivation, we expose people to a copper etching which depicts the Sun on a background pattern generated by the rotation of stars around the North Star. In the context of this beautiful image of the Universe (which contains countless numbers of Suns, our earthly Sun becomes diminished in menace and importance. Doctors have shown that looking at circular reduces stress and strengthen the self. (3) (4)
(2)
http://pni.osumc.edu/KG%20Publications%20%28pdf%29/156.pdf
(3) Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung’s Autobiography
recorded and edited by Aniella Jaffe pg. 197
(4)
https://www.google.co.il/search?num=100&q=scientific+research+mandalas&oq=scientific+research+mandalas&gs_l=serp.3...310892.315500.0.315770.28.23.0.3.3.1.332.3585.0j5j10j1.16.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..13.15.2774.Yv1fNu2mDzg
(3) Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung’s Autobiography
recorded and edited by Aniella Jaffe pg. 197
(4)
https://www.google.co.il/search?num=100&q=scientific+research+mandalas&oq=scientific+research+mandalas&gs_l=serp.3...310892.315500.0.315770.28.23.0.3.3.1.332.3585.0j5j10j1.16.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..13.15.2774.Yv1fNu2mDzg
